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<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/28407453">Keepsakes</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/beng/pseuds/beng'>beng</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Series:</b></td><td>30 Days of Martin Lavellan [11]</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>Dragon Age: Inquisition</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>F/M, Gift Giving, Pre-Relationship</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>Completed</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2020-12-11</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2020-12-11</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-10 17:01:06</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>General Audiences</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>No Archive Warnings Apply</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>1</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>701</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/28407453</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/beng/pseuds/beng</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
      <p>Based on the <a href="https://luinquesse.tumblr.com/post/187518711282/30-days-oc-challenge">30 Days OC challenge</a> by luinquesse and a prompt by Barbex and Midnightprelude for DA Drunk Writing :)<br/></p>
    </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Relationships:</b></td><td>Male Lavellan/Josephine Montilyet</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Series:</b></td><td>30 Days of Martin Lavellan [11]</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Series URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/series/2080431</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>1</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>Keepsakes</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
      <p>Based on the <a href="https://luinquesse.tumblr.com/post/187518711282/30-days-oc-challenge">30 Days OC challenge</a> by luinquesse and a prompt by Barbex and Midnightprelude for DA Drunk Writing :)<br/></p>
    </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>“Inquisitor, if I may?”</p>
<p>He’s sitting on one of the benches in the garden, among lush young leaves and the lengthening shadows of the evening, and when Martin looks up at Josie, his hands grow still on the knotted cord he’s been working on.</p>
<p>In her golden blouse she looks brilliant like a sunset watched through the trees.</p>
<p>He notices she’s holding something rectangular as she shuffles indecisively, silk slippers on smooth flagstone pathway, and Martin clears his throat and smiles at her before she decides he’s too busy to talk. </p>
<p>“Any time, my lady. I hoped you’d consider it a given by now.”</p>
<p>She momentarily clenches her jaw, but there’s a blush creeping up those high cheekbones.</p>
<p>“Inquisitor. I wanted to offer a small token of my gratitude for your help with the Du Paraquettes and the House of Repose.” She makes a step closer, and the evening dew in the grass must be seeping through her flimsy shoes. Too late, Martin springs up and waves her to return to the path, following her instead.</p>
<p>She hands him a pale, ornately carved wooden box, about a foot long, and bites her lip when Martin’s eyes widen.</p>
<p>“Ironbark?!” He runs his long fingers over the precise carvings, the carved details. The surface of the tiny crystal grace flowers is smooth as silk, and he thinks he could count the veins on the beautifully crafted leaves and vines. The box is not heavy, but it feels solid, like few things do lately.</p>
<p>“Josephine, this is incredible masterwork. The Dalish use ironbark for armour, for weapons. I don’t think I’ve ever seen ironbark carvings of such quality. It’s… It’s beyond anything I’ve ever seen. Do you know who made it? Where did you get it?”</p>
<p>Now she is definitely blushing, even as she clasps her hands behind her back, a picture of decorum.</p>
<p>“It has been in my family for generations. I wouldn’t be surprised if we obtained it from some collector dealing in ancient elven artifacts.”</p>
<p>“So it’s an heirloom? Creators, I cannot accept such an invaluable gift,” Martin protests even as his hands wrap protectively around the pale corners of the box.</p>
<p>“Nonsense. It was the least I could do to express my gratitude, Inquisitor.”</p>
<p>"Thank you! I..." Martin swallows thickly as he hugs the box to his stomach. "Thank you, my lady." </p>
<p>The box is empty, but the carvings are exquisite, and, from Josephine’s hands, it is beyond priceless. </p>
<p> </p>
<p>*</p>
<p>The thing is, Martin <em>likes </em>things. </p>
<p>He has childhood keepsakes from his Denerim home and little relics from his life with Clan Ralaferin. Trinkets from his time as an adult in Denerim again. Bits and pieces accumulated over the decade he’s lived with Clan Lavellan.</p>
<p>But it is all miles and miles away, tucked safely in a chest with his other belongings in Keeper Deshanna’s aravel.</p>
<p>The habit hasn’t died though.</p>
<p>Later that night, Martin sits on his bed cross-legged, with the ironbark box in his lap. He's surrounded by his homeless treasures — a dark blue scarf, a glass dove figurine, a brass pendant charm of Andraste on a simple leather string, a wood carving knife, a small, battered book on logics with flowers from the Emerald Graves pressed between the pages.</p>
<p>In case of an emergency, he could stuff all these trinkets in a pack and leave at a moment’s notice. The ironbark box is large and unwieldy in comparison.</p>
<p>It anchors him to Skyhold.</p>
<p>Martin shakes his head, smiling, thinking of bashful chuckles and gold silk, and the brightest dedication to ruling the world through a favour and a coin. He caresses the carved cover of the box, marvelling at the precious and thoughtful gift once more, and then flips it open.</p>
<p>One by one, he puts his little treasures in the box and grins when he realises there is still plenty of space left to add even more valuables, more breadcrumbs of memories.</p>
<p>Then he pushes the box under his bed, where he has kept these kind of things his whole life — under different beds and in different homes and aravels.</p>
<p>And he thinks — maybe it's time to admit that Skyhold has become a home of sorts too.</p>
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